The Prognostic Value of Serum Calcium Levels in Elderly Dilated Cardiomyopathy Patients

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Internal Medicine
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a significant health concern, particularly in elderly populations.
• The prognostic value of serum calcium levels on admission for DCM patients remains unclear.
• Investigating baseline serum calcium's association with clinical outcomes in elderly DCM is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prognostic significance of baseline serum calcium levels in elderly patients diagnosed with DCM.
• To evaluate serum calcium as a potential predictor of clinical outcomes, including mortality, in this patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1,089 elderly patients (age ≥60) with DCM from January 2010 to December 2019.
• Univariate and multivariate analyses were employed to assess the association between serum calcium and clinical outcomes.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were utilized.

Main Results:

• Serum calcium demonstrated good sensitivity and specificity for predicting in-hospital death (AUC = 0.732).
• Patients with serum calcium >8.62 mg/dL exhibited a better prognosis (log-rank χ² = 40.84, p < 0.001).
• Lower serum calcium (≤8.62 mg/dL) was independently associated with a higher risk of long-term mortality (HR = 1.449, p = 0.005).

Conclusions:

• Serum calcium level is a valuable and accessible tool for assessing prognosis in patients with DCM.
• Baseline serum calcium can aid clinicians in risk stratification and management decisions for elderly DCM patients.